1 in 9 law school applicants applies to William & Mary

W&M one of only eight law schools nationally to have increase in applications this year

In a year when applications to law school have sharply declined nationally, William & Mary is proving to be a popular destination for aspiring law students.

The Law School’s Office of Admission has received 5,846 applications for seats in its J.D. Class of 2016, an increase of 4.9 percent compared to last year. It is the third-highest number of J.D. applicants in the school’s history.

According to data compiled on April 5, 2013 by the Law School Admission Council (LSAC), applicants to law schools have declined by almost 16 percent nationally this year, and by 40 percent over the past three years. William & Mary, according to LSAC, is one of only eight of the nation’s almost 200 law schools to report an increase in applications this year.

“We are very pleased to see this level of interest in William & Mary, the nation’s oldest law school,” said William & Mary Law Dean Davison Douglas. "This strong response from law school applicants across the country reflects the quality of our education, our strong national reputation for producing excellent lawyers, and a more affordable price than many of our peer schools.”

One out of every nine applicants to law school in the United States has applied to William & Mary, according to the Law School’s Office of Admission. Associate Dean for Admission Faye Shealy, who has directed the school’s admission program since 1982, says that this is the largest percentage of the law school applicant market that William & Mary has ever captured.

“We constantly strive to educate not only good lawyers, but good
citizens and effective leaders,” Shealy said. “We work hard to promote
this citizen lawyer ideal along with all the program strengths offered
here. I believe this increase in applications is evidence that William
& Mary is an attractive option for discerning students seeking
quality legal education.”